The Psychology of Selling

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INFOMERCIALS 101 |  BUY ME! |  ARE WE GULLIBLE?

Imagine you are producing a TV commercial to sell a product that might make you millions of dollars. You have mere seconds to capture the viewer's attention before their hovering finger thunderously descends on the channel button -- and that appeal has to occur continuously throughout the program for any new viewers just tuning in.

And while all of this is going on, you have to retain audience attention by striking the perfect balance between entertainment, earnestness and education.

Infomercials need to fully inform viewers of the nature of the product at hand, but there also needs to be a certain amount of suspense to keep them watching. This means gradually doling out -- and creatively rehashing -- the benefits of the product, while interspersing the program with convincing testimonials and frequent descriptions of ways to order.

So there's a lot going on during an infomercial. What effects does that have psychologically on the consumer? And what are the key elements to make sure these psychographic sparks keep ignited?

Over, and Over, and Over

With the blitz of marketing assaulting us from all angles, consumers often tune out some of the noise (to retain our sanity and keep our savings accounts intact if nothing else!). Similar to Internet users' adaptation of "ad blindness," so too do people have the tendency to space out during sales pitches that don't pique their interest.

Because of this, repetition is a fundamental part of the standard infomercial format. By repeatedly driving home the benefits and purchasing information of a product, commercial producers are able to increase the chance that someone will be hooked -- and have the information they need to buy.

The Power of Emotions

We covered how they get viewers watching, but how is the actual sale made? One of the main components is the use of subconscious cues. These don't have to be secretly embedded between split-second frames; you can be subconsciously swayed by a variety of things -- maybe a celebrity on a quiet beach talking about how the product they're hawking gave them tranquility and inner peace. The gentle surf and the sunny sky might help build feelings of happiness and serenity in you, and that could make all the difference if you're having trouble deciding whether to buy.

Convincing testimonials of enthusiastic people emphatically conveying how lost they were until this product changed their lives? Canned applause or whistles and cheers from live audience members who're supposedly quickly becoming converted? These too have the power to produce an emotional reaction in potential customers -- and that enthusiasm can mean a sale is all the more likely.

Let's Make a Deal

Another feature common to infomercials is the call to action. This is where the celebrity, spokesperson or narrator urges prompt action while getting down to the business of laying out the deal. Anyone familiar with infomercials knows what to expect at this point. Even though this common psychological sales tactic is pretty obvious, it can still feel good to see the price dropping while the amount of loot you're getting keeps increasing. Throw in a little $19.95 action for good measure, and the product's saleability could skyrocket.

Another fundamental to all infomercials? Pleas of immediacy. Pick up the Phone! Act Now! Call in the next few minutes to receive a bonus gift! These help spur people to act instead of mulling it over or mentally moving right along.

Everybody Else is Doing It...

Long-time infomercial writer Colleen Szot recognized one small change could make a major difference. By changing the conventional call to action "Operators are waiting, please call now" to "If operators are busy, please call again."

This small tweak insinuated wild popularity of the product at hand; that so many individual viewers had been won over it was time for YOU to call, too! This simple tweak also created a fellowship of people with a common interest: to be one of the people who wanted or needed the product.

Of course, there are thousands of theories and concepts around the psychodynamics of direct marketing and selling in general. More related info from HowStuffWorks.com is below.

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